Lokesh Calls Bhogapuram Airport As North Andhra’s Turning Point

 VISAKHAPATNAM: Education, IT, and electronics minister Nara Lokesh joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, and Deputy K. Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan at the inauguration of the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram on Saturday, describing the airport’s completion as a “befitting reply” to those who once dismissed the need for such a project in North Andhra.

“An airport has come where the red bus does not come. Airbus has come where the red bus does not come. Prime Minister Modi has come where the red bus does not come,” Lokesh exclaimed, describing the inauguration of the airport as a turning point for the region.

The education minister invoked the legacy of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju and linked it to the vision of the Prime Minister and AP Chief Minister.

“Today is not just the opening of an airport. It is the day when our PM Modi’s Vikasit Bharat and our CM Chandrababu's vision meet,” he said, underlining that the facility symbolises the sacrifices of farmers, labour of workers, and perseverance of the people of North Andhra.

Lokesh repeatedly praised Modi, equating “Namo” with courage, faith, security, and development, and hailed the Naidu-Modi partnership as a “double engine bullet train government.”

Highlighting the recent projects, Lokesh pointed to the completion of ASR airport in record time, funding for Polavaram and Amaravati, establishment of the Visakhapatnam Railway Zone, and packages for Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. He cited major investments, such as the Google Data Centre, ArcelorMittal Steel Plant, and AMCA Fighter Jet project as evidence of the state’s growing industrial profile.

“Modiji’s vision, Naiduji’s execution… the only goal of both is development of North Andhra,” he education minister maintained.

He lauded the founder of GMR, Grandhi Mallikarjuna Rao, for building the airport and congratulated Union Civil Aviation minister Rammohan Naidu for completing the project ahead of schedule. He said the airport would serve as a hub for jobs, exports, imports, and industries; transforming North Andhra into a growth engine for Andhra Pradesh.

“Once upon a time, North Andhra meant migration, backwardness. Now North Andhra means jobs, employment, and golden opportunities,” he pointed out.

Lokesh emphasised the importance of continuity in governance, drawing parallels with Gujarat’s long-standing administration. He described the welfare and development agendas of people's government as a “two-horse cart.” He portrayed the NDA’s double engine government as the driving force behind the rapid progress along India’s eastern coast.

“This is not the era of East India Company. This is the era of East Coast India. From Sundarbans to Sriharikota. The NDA double engine government is developing like a rocket. This is the power of PM Modi and CM Chandrababu,” he declared.